Microbial community composition of deep-sea corals from the Red Sea provides insight into functional adaption to a unique environment

Microbes associated with deep-sea corals remain poorly studied. The lack of symbiotic algae suggests that associated microbes may play a fundamental role in maintaining a viable coral host via acquisition and recycling of nutrients. Here we employed 16 S rRNA gene sequencing to study bacterial commu...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Scientific reports 2017-03, Vol.7 (1), p.44714-44714, Article 44714
Main Authors: Röthig, Till, Yum, Lauren K., Kremb, Stephan G., Roik, Anna, Voolstra, Christian R.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
45/22
45/23
631/158/2452
631/326/171/1878
631/326/2565/2134
Abundance
Adaptation
Adaptation, Physiological
Algae
Anaerobic bacteria
Animals
Anthozoa - microbiology
Bacteria
Bacteria - genetics
Bacteria - metabolism
Carbon sources
Cluster Analysis
Community composition
Corals
Environment
Environmental conditions
Humanities and Social Sciences
Indian Ocean
Microbiota
multidisciplinary
Nutrients
Oxygen
RNA, Ribosomal, 16S - genetics
rRNA
Science
Seawater - microbiology
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Summary:Microbes associated with deep-sea corals remain poorly studied. The lack of symbiotic algae suggests that associated microbes may play a fundamental role in maintaining a viable coral host via acquisition and recycling of nutrients. Here we employed 16 S rRNA gene sequencing to study bacterial communities of three deep-sea scleractinian corals from the Red Sea, Dendrophyllia sp., Eguchipsammia fistula , and Rhizotrochus typus . We found diverse, species-specific microbiomes, distinct from the surrounding seawater. Microbiomes were comprised of few abundant bacteria, which constituted the majority of sequences (up to 58% depending on the coral species). In addition, we found a high diversity of rare bacteria (taxa at 90% of all bacteria). Interestingly, we identified anaerobic bacteria, potentially providing metabolic functions at low oxygen conditions, as well as bacteria harboring the potential to degrade crude oil components. Considering the presence of oil and gas fields in the Red Sea, these bacteria may unlock this carbon source for the coral host. In conclusion, the prevailing environmental conditions of the deep Red Sea (>20 °C,
ISSN:2045-2322
2045-2322
DOI:10.1038/srep44714